My Travel Trailer Studio Remodel

[Wendyki]

Okay so this is a work in progress. Right now I am finished gutting the trailer and have repaired the floor and walls.
Being a single mom money is always tight when i finally saved up enough to get my torch and glass I quickly could see working on the porch wasnt much fun. My cheap solution was to ask for a trailer on craigslist. Someone Gave me this one, the floor was rotted the walls were bowed but hey it was free. With some scrap plywood i also got on the list i fixed the floor and tore out all of the bowed paneling. I am using an old kitchen tabletop for my work bench and the original table with the trailer as a center base, then 2 side tables to make the benchtop go all the way acroxx 7.5 foot and 3 foot deep. That great divided cabinet was also on crgslst and it was free as well I am doing all of the work myself and the power will be one power strip rewired with a 50 foot cord to operate the lights ventalation and kiln. The venalation is going in tomorrow it one of the few original parts of the trailer I kept the bed that folds up. It makes a platform to attach all of the blowers and ducts and also a handy shelf. Keep a watch out as I pretty it up and make the little trailer into my own little space. i welcome any suggestions and critiques after all I am not really sure what i am doing other then making it work for me :)

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[Jenfire]

Go Woman! What a great idea!
Jen

[amitysprings]

I love ingenuity and creativity.. Great idea and HAVE FUN..

Jennie

[lenora]

I can't wait to see your progress!!! It looks great so far!!! Keep us posted!!:waving:

[glassymom]

Wendy your doing an awesome job!! Keep up the great work. I LOVE craigs list and freecycle lists too.......lots of great stuff and its nice when you just hate to throw things away!!
keep us updated!!
sue

[Deb Hopeful Journeys]

Looks great!

I suggest you paint the inside some fun and funky colors. Would look so cool.

Oh, another suggestion. We bought a small and I mean small trailer like that. It had some horrible leaks in it. My hubby gutted the whole thing and replaced what he could. Well we still had one leak.

He came up with the most brilliant idea. He went to a larger hardware store and bought that stuff you paint into a truck bed. Some places it's called Rhino Liner. It worked like a charm. He painted it all around the windows, the seams and anywhere that looked like there could be a potential leak.

Now all we have to do is give the outside a coat of paint and we are set.

Looks like you are doing a great job, btw!

[Dana L]

Hi, my studio is a travel trailer too. My landlord would not allow any modifications to my house so I paid $50 for a trailer. I pulled out all of the interior paneling. (It is SO flammable, and I’d watched one to many safety videos!)
I lined the trailer with cement board. It was easy to find broken cement board for pennies, if you don’t care if some of it is tile board, and some of it is siding. I only bought one piece at full retail for the curved wall near my torch. I needed an ultra thin piece (1/4”) to be able to bend it (Soaked it in water first). My walls and floors are cement board, and the ceiling is coated with flame retardant paint.
I have a LOVELY skylight where my first ventilation system went through the roof (it leaked rain down my neck LOL.) I love it and it is my own space. I can even take it with me if I move, although not easily since it is leveled on block and tethered down.
OH YEAH! My only advice is that you will want to tie your trailer down. You have never lived until a strong wind hits the side of your trailer while you are working on a torch. Sort of a “Wizard of Oz” moment.
I can’t wait to see your project as it progresses!
Dana

[Dana L]

Oh, yeah... you might also have some trouble with a kiln on a 50' cord. If you have too much voltage drop between the source and the kiln it won't fire properly.

[Wendyki]

My kiln is an aim 94bd and the aim people said it should be okay it only pulls like 15 amps or something like that about the same as a toaster. The guy who sold it to me is awesome if anyonre needs a kiln I would highly recomend him he spent an hour on the phone with me finding the best kiln for my situation and has helped me with other things since then :) I am doing the floor in hardybacker but not the walls. and my work table will be covered in it too eventually I hope to get more pics tomorrow :) Thanks for all the wonderfull support :)

[TessKay]

I love that idea! There is a great show on the food channel.. cant remnember the name of it now.. where the guy goes around in this trailer that he has looking like a giant toaster. Its a great trailer..........maybe yours could look like a.. giant bead? LOL......... such possibilitys. Keep up the good work! Your idea is fantastic!

[Wendyki]

Hehe I cant paint it anything strange on the outside the people who live with me just DONT have a sense of humor. I wanted a little sign hanging that said white trash beads and if this trailers a rocken ...they threatened to tow it off with me in it :) I am getting it sealed up right now but after I am done doing that i will take more pics been a litte slow with christmas and all.

[valerie_folly]

Great Wendy! Watch the mail girl!

[Yvon]

Much of what you have has been priced RIGHT! free. . . and it will turn out to be just perfect for a studio. Keep us posted. And I agree - fun colors will really make it yours! So keep us posted. . .

[meadowesky]

wow that divider is awesome! I can imagine that it will be a very cool place for you :)
gonna paint?? What colors??

[Wendyki]

I want to eventually redo all the paneling in the same paneling so i am debating on painting or not painting if I dont paint it will urge me to redo it better when I have more money :)

[Mustang Dawn]

That is awesome! Keep the pictures comming. You will love your new studio :)

Happy New Year!

Dawn

[Dana L]

If you can't decide whether or not to spend money on temp. paint I have a middle ground idea. You can get a gallon of "mistinted" paint for $5 at most small hardware stores. Some of the colors are great, just not what the customer wanted. I can't wait to see more pictures.
Dana

[Karen Hardy]

I'd LOVE to see a picture(s) of this, Dana - sounds wonderful!

Hi, my studio is a travel trailer too. My landlord would not allow any modifications to my house so I paid $50 for a trailer. I pulled out all of the interior paneling. (It is SO flammable, and I’d watched one to many safety videos!)
I lined the trailer with cement board. It was easy to find broken cement board for pennies, if you don’t care if some of it is tile board, and some of it is siding. I only bought one piece at full retail for the curved wall near my torch. I needed an ultra thin piece (1/4”) to be able to bend it (Soaked it in water first). My walls and floors are cement board, and the ceiling is coated with flame retardant paint.
I have a LOVELY skylight where my first ventilation system went through the roof (it leaked rain down my neck LOL.) I love it and it is my own space. I can even take it with me if I move, although not easily since it is leveled on block and tethered down.
OH YEAH! My only advice is that you will want to tie your trailer down. You have never lived until a strong wind hits the side of your trailer while you are working on a torch. Sort of a “Wizard of Oz” moment.
I can’t wait to see your project as it progresses!
Dana

[jewlie beads]

I really like that idea. I have a camper and thought about doing the same thing to it but my mom, dad , husband, mother in law and kids threatened me with my life. We go on camping trips every summer and it serves as a guest house. So for now I have to settle for the laundry room.

[Anne Ricketts]

I was 4 inches too long of getting me a trailer!!! :cry: Have fun with yours!!

[Wendyki]

STOMP KICK SCREAM!!!!! I am so tired of waiting on this project to move forward If its not one thing its another I could have finished it myself long before now

I should have more pics soon They tell me everyday they are going to go and finish the babys pen

I should have just kept doing the workmyself.

[Wendyki]

Okay its been a while but here are the new pics of it almost done WOOOO

here is the babys den while I am torching. We call it the cell but it will have her own tv and lots of toys and the walls will have pretty painted flowers and stuff
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here is my glass storage shelf that can be expanded to the right side as I get more glass
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here is my table :) the kiln will go on my right the whole table will be covered in steel and the venalation moter will have a heat shield
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venalation blower off an old airconditioning unit pulls my hair forward wooo :) it will get a heat shield of metal around the motor it sucks from the sides and back and vents out the roof fresh air comes in from both windows and below my feet
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extra cabinets for storage
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it can all be painted and will be in bright cheery colors the hoses will come in from the side and the gas will be stored outside where the propane is usually stored. still a ways to go but it should be ready soon enough

[melody]

Looking good - what a great idea!

[jaci]

I LOVE THIS IDEA!!! Its so unique and can yiu say road trip, it might take some road-proofing, but to have your inspiration at bay and not on the screen or pics... thats great! maybe insted of making it ino a toaster or giant bead you should take all your wookie beads and weird ones and epoxy them to the outside, imagine how the sun would reflect throuh the pieces!
________
Medical marijuana dispensary (http://www.youtube.com/dispensaries)

[beadgirl]

Hey Wendy,
What a great idea, you really have worked hard. Love your torch table.
Your little girl is adorable!!
Do yourself a favor and cover or remove all of the panneling, It is extremely flameable and burns quickly.
Be safe, MarieAnn

[dragon myst]

neat !:kiss:

[topher wren]

If I was into making beads 12 years ago I would have pulled that thing to all the gratefuldead shows attended and made bead all day to sell at the next show. talk about a great life of traveling the country with that and making money to. best of luck on the project very good Idea ya got there.

[lizskid]

Very cool, and what an idea! Are you doing this yourself? You da woman!

[dpglassworks]

Cool................very clever and looks nice and roomy, too

[judesjewels]

The "cell" for your daughter is brilliant! If she's anything like my son, it won't be long before she'll want her own torch setup so she can work along side mommy. ;)

Love,
Judy

[Rose Leslie]

Great job Windyki. That is the best thing when you do it your self. It will be all yours and no one can say it is theres. Have a bunch of fun with it. You are really tallented doing this.

[glitz]

Hey Wendy,
Your trailer (we call them caravans here in New Zealand) looks great and very ritzy with its proper ventilation! I also work in a real scruffy old caravan in my garden! We've been transient for a couple of years so we bought the old caravan and put all my benches in it.
I dont have any ventilation system except for the opening roof hatch and a cross draught through a window and out the door - which is always closed at this time of the year. It's midwinter here and we're up in the mountains.
I'd love to see how you fit out all your gear in the end.
I've found lighting to be a bit of a challenge in mine - I either have too much sunlight through the windows or not enough from the rather pathetic lighting system it has - I've rigged up an old desk lamp which seems to have helped a lot for now.
I'm not keen to spend too much on this setup now as we're planning to go back to our own home in December and I have the cutest workshop/studio there all set up.
Looking forward to seeing more photos as you progress!
Lesley.

[Marjo]

to those who wait. I admire your perseverence. Just remember, when it's done, all the aggrevation will just be a memory, and you'll have your sanctuary. Good luck and good beads with it!

-Marjo

[FordGirlGoneBad]

This is such a great idea -- I'm wondering how it's going along now? Are you moved in and working yet or does life have you in "want to do it but don't have the time" mode? Keep us posted!

[Wendyki]

Unfortinatley I am still waiting on power........ he wants me to put my kiln on a very long cord and I refuse. So until i find a place to put it he wont want it moved in a few moths and get the ditch for the power dug its at a stand still :(

And of course since I am not doing it how he wants it done I am on my own...

I have a spot in the yard all staked out and a guy freind coming to look at the house circut breaker hopefully this month...if not I am getting a how to wire a plug book from home depot and doing it myself :)

[mynameislola]

If I was into making beads 12 years ago I would have pulled that thing to all the gratefuldead shows attended and made bead all day to sell at the next show. talk about a great life of traveling the country with that and making money to. best of luck on the project very good Idea ya got there.


That would have been the very best.........

[lynn's lampwork]

Oh my GOSH! I am SO impressed!! I can't WAIT to see more picture updates!!!

Isn't it AMAZING what we do to find a place to melt glass!!! It's an addiction worse than heroin, isn't it???? :-k

Keep us updated!!!!
~Lynn

[Wendyki]

My electrical is DONE!!!!!! WOOWOOO I am so excited I plan on starting the move over tonight and hopefully be in my own space within the week. I will post more pics as I get them :)

[Wendyki]

its done!!!!!!
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whew now I need moreglass..........

[bead crazy]

Are those huge jars of Frit under the cabinet?

[Wendyki]

hehe dont I wish no there jars of cement pigment somebody gave me a long time ago and I still havent been able to give away yet :)

[Wendyki]

those age bags of frit behind the mandrels waiting on jars and labels :)

[beadgirl]

Congratulations on your new space. It is wonderful!!
MarieAnn

[Amy Katz]

WOW! I am so impressed! What a kewl idea! I've had so much fun reading your thread and seeing your progress. Thanks for the ride along!!!! Can't wait to see what you do next!

[Flamebob]

<-----Jealous

[Wendyki]

it is soo soo nice working in my own space. I love it :)

[Smilyn]

Looks wonderful from here! I enjoyed seeing the progress on this as well. I hope you have a wonderful time in your very own den of creativity!

Best...

Milyn

[Flamebob]

hey wendy great idea! I saw this thread a while ago and since then, I've been trying to find a trailer for free or cheap. And I did!
Any advice you could give me on the conversion of a trailer, design aspects for functionality, etc. would be greatly appreciated. The trailer I found is looks to be between 16 and 20 ft long.

[heidisever]

Way to go Wendy!

Your patience paid off!

Isn't Craigslist just the best!?!?!

[Tink]

This is SUCH a cool idea, and so well executed! And you've recycled, to boot! Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Seasoned Soul]

Just wanted to say your studio is just awesome! I'm especially jealous of the red stool...ahem..love it!=P~

[lpryde]

Well it looks like a really long time sine your last post, but I wanted to thank you for posting all of this. I am just beginning my studio on wheels journey. I just bought one and will be starting demo soon.
Your studio is great and super inspirational!
Thank you
Laurel